Standing in his West Shore office, Al Scudieri opened an album to a particular page and placed it in front of me. There were half a dozen black-and-white photos of men posing in group shots. It was difficult to make out the faces, but you could tell the men were mostly in their 20s and in good shape. ...more

January 27, 2010

Christmas shopping is not fun anymore. I used to love it. We'd make our lists and at 9 a.m. or 2 p.m. or some other decent hour (not 4 a.m.) we'd get bundled up in coats and boots and mittens, drive downtown (no, not to the mall), and walk from store to store along snow-covered sidewalks. We'd buy gifts until we couldn't possibly carry any more, then we'd meet back at the car to stow them in the trunk and head out to buy some more. ...more

November 29, 2009

A federal appeals court handed prosecutors a defeat Wednesday in the case of a former University of South Florida student awaiting trial on charges he illegally transported explosives. ...more

January 22, 2009

In the hours after he killed the mother of his child, Vincent George Brown Jr. recorded an eerie greeting on his cell phone, attended a party in East Tampa and drove the car from whose trunk the woman had called 911 for help, police said today. ...more

January 9, 2009

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence sued the Bush administration Tuesday in hopes of stopping a new policy that would allow people to carry concealed, loaded guns in most national parks and wildlife refuges. ...more

December 30, 2008

In an ideal situation, when you dial 911 on a cell phone the police should be able to pinpoint your location down to just a few dozen yards, based on wireless signals from your phone. ...more

November 22, 2008

Before her death this week, Jennifer Denise Johnson imagined owning her own hair salon and sharing a family with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Vincent "Bud" Brown Jr. ...more

November 22, 2008

Before her death this week, Jennifer Denise Johnson imagined owning her own hair salon and sharing a family with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Vincent "Bud" Brown Jr. Police in Lakeland and Tampa continue to investigate Johnson's slaying. ...more

November 21, 2008

In an ideal situation, when you dial 911 on a cell phone the police should be able to pinpoint your location down to just a few dozen yards, based on wireless signals from your phone. ...more

November 21, 2008

Jennifer Johnson, the 31-year-old mother found slain in a vacant house in Lakeland this week, called 911 for help from the trunk of a car, according to her family and police. ...more

November 20, 2008